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The Ms. JD Fellowship, one of our most popular programs, is now open for applications! In 2010, Ms. JD partnered with the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession to found the Ms. JD Fellowship. The Fellowship is Ms. JD's program to promote mentoring and professional development. Each spring, Ms. JD selects a group of outstanding second year law students as Fellowship recipients. In addition to receiving invitations and financial support to attend ABA and Ms. JD events, each Fellowship recipient is paired with a mentor chosen from among the Brent Award honorees, Spirit of Excellence Award recipients, and ABA Commission on…

I recently read an article written by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant on women doing office housework.[1] It couldn’t ring truer to my ears than now. As a paralegal, it is your job to do all the admin tasks being delegated by the attorneys. But as an attorney, I somewhat still am asked to do those admin tasks on top of the workload of an attorney. Recently, during a trial, not only was I expected to do all the preparation for the trial, but I was also expected to put the exhibits together, and prepare the binders. What is one supposed…

“Womanist is to feminist as purple is to lavender” – Alice Walker. WOMANIST 1. From womanish. (Opp. of “girlish,” i.e., frivolous, irresponsible, not serious.) A black feminist or feminist of color. From the black folk expression of mothers to female children, “you acting womanish,” i.e., like a woman --usually referring to outrageous, audacious, courageous or willful behavior. Wanting to know more and in greater depth than is considered “good” for one. Interested in grown-up doings. Acting grown-up. Being grown-up. Interchangeable with another black folk expression: “You trying to be grown." Responsible. In charge. Serious. The term Womanist was coined by Alice Walker, a poet,…

Julia Wilson is a Stanford Law alumna and mover and shaker in the Public Interest sector. I spoke to her about how she got her position as CEO and what the prospects are for the future in the legal aid. One experience with a lawyer and her life took a different turn. Inspired by the entire public interest sector, Julia knew there was power in the law to help others, especially persons with disabilities. Julia’s awareness of her own privileges and inequalities within the legal aid sphere was beyond refreshing to hear. Julia is confident, intelligent, dedicated and a bad…

Before we start – help me help you: Send your tips for bouncing back from work challenges. Tweet to @babysharklaw or send an e-mail. Easy! I will compile a roundup for a future column. Thanks. Good goes around! Q: I know of times when lawyers have sugar-coated feedback and left people confused about how they are doing. And a senior associate recently joked that new lawyers need to learn how to “take a hint.” Do you have suggestions on this? A: Ah. The world would be so much less interesting if people always said what they meant and meant what…

One of the hardest parts of being a lawyer is that you’re expected to work long hours, and while this stress has historically weighed heavier on women who are still viewed as primary caregivers, the tide is starting to turn. By fighting for greater flexibility and sustained work-life balance, female lawyers have made the law a more sustainable career path for everyone. Overworked By The Billable Hour Lawyers are chronically overworked as they try to maximize their billable hours, but that doesn’t mean every lawyer wants to work until they drop. Rather, in order to avoid functioning on overdrive, many…

The Ms. JD Herstory Series is a project associated with the “Her Story ” themed 2018 Ms. JD Conference. It is a blog posting series that features summaries of interviews with members of the Ms. JD family conducted by Shanice Hinckson, a 2017-2018 Ms. JD Fellow. These summaries portray each person’s account of the influence Ms. JD has had on their lives. Furthermore, it highlights Ms. JD as an important contribution to the legal community and an advocate for stories that refrain from marginalizing the woman’s perspective. Empowering As a former Ms. JD Fellow and current board member, Paige Griffith…

“I’m already successful. I don’t need social media.” I must admit. Hearing this from attorneys, or any professionals for that matter, is my pet peeve. In my last post, I talked about how to prepare for an online first impression and how utilizing certain strategies can present you as a thought-leader to potential clients or employers. Still, in my conversations, I sometimes have attorneys who feel that, due to their current success, they need not utilize digital media to build their brand. Perhaps, digital media is not for everyone for whatever reason. However, remember: Digital media works for you when…

Stacey Hallerman is the definition of finding a need and filling it. For 6 years while working for a boutique food and drug law firm, she realized that her firm was outsourcing intellectual property work to other law firms and took it upon herself to learn trademark law. She bought books and studied IP law, specifically trademark applications that normally would be delegated to other firms. Inevitably by learning IP law, Stacey saved her firm thousands of dollars and grew as an IP lawyer. With every positon that Stacey took on, she made a point to never leave the firm…

“Always remember that no matter the toughest challenge that you’re facing, have faith that there is always an end to it. Choose joy while going through hell, buckle up, know you are growing stronger and there will be light on the other side” were the last words that Lily Hughes gave me before ending our call. When Lily Hughes was only 11 years old she and her family immigrated from Hong Kong to East LA. Lily’s mother was illiterate even in Chinese, and her father repair shoes during the day and was a busboy at night. From a young age,…

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